Lever operated toy cap gun



Oct. 9, 1962 M. E. HlRscH ETAL LEVER OPERATED TOY CAP GUN 5 Sheets-Sheet1 Filed Sept. 21, 1960 INVENTORS.

7' A/YS lll..

mm 1 l. f.

OCt- 9 1962 M. E. HlRscH ETAL. 3,057,102

LEVER QPERATED Toy CAP GUN Filed Sept. 2l, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Oct. 9,1962 M. E. HlRscH ETAL LEVER OPERATED TOY CAP GUN 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 FiledSept. 21, 1960 NM. NM

QM. bw

3,057,102 Patented Oct. 9, 1962 ine 3,057,162 LEVER GPERA'EED TOY CAPGUN Maillon E. Hirsch, Fairview, and Raymond l'. Lohr, Erie, Pa.,assignors to )Louis lvlarx @c Company, Inc., New York, N51., acorporation of New Yori:

Filed Sept. 2l, 196i), Ser. No. 57,417 1d Claims. (Cl. 42-57) Thisinvention relates to toy guns, and more particularly to cap tiring guns.

The general object of the present invention is to improve toy guns. Areal gun makes a percussive noise, with a sharp recoil, accompanied bythe smoke and smell of gun powder. Toy cap guns are fairly realistic inmany respects, but they have no recoil. Frhe primary object of thepresent invention is to improve toy guns by providing the same withrealistic recoil force. A more specific object is to combine the newrecoil mechanism withy the regular cocking mechanism so that the latterstresses both the hammer spring of the gun and the recoil mechanism, andthe trigger releases both.

To accomplish the foregoing general objects, and other more specificobjects which will hereinafter appear, our invention resides in the toygun elements and their relation one to another, as are hereinafter moreparticularly described in the following specification. The specificationis accompanied by drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a toy cap rifle embodying featuresof our invention;

FIG. 2 shows the rear portion of the gun, with one side `of the gun bodyremoved to expose the mechanism therein;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary approximately horizontal section taken in theplane of the line 3 3 of FIG. 2, and drawn to enlarged scale;

FIG. 3A shows a fragment of a double cap strip used in the present gun;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 2, but With the cocking lever turneddown;

FIG. 4A is a fragmentary view corresponding to a part of FIG. 4, butwith the guide rod and recoil spring removed.

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4, but with the cocking lever restored,and with the hammer and recoil springs compressed;

FIG. 6 is -a fragmentary view similar to FIG. 5, but showing therelation of the parts as the trigger is pulled;

FIG. 7 shows the opposite side of the rear portion of the gun body,without the recoil mechanism, and with the cap mechanism turned down forreloading with a new load of caps;

FIG. 8 is a transverse section taken approximately in the plane of theline 8-3 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 9 is a transverse section taken approximately in the plane of theline 9-9 of FIG. 4; and

FIG. 10 is a somewhat schematic view explanatory of the cap firingmechanism.

Referring to the drawing, and more particularly to FIG. l, the inventionis here shown embodied in a toy cap-shooting rifle. 'Ihis comprises asimulated barrel l2 and stock 14, with a cooking lever 16 and trigger13. The body of the gun may be molded in two halves out of a suitableplastics molding material, the halves being separated on a verticalparting plane passing substantially through the center of the barrel l2and stock 14. The exterior of the gun may be suitably embellished andornamented to improve its realism, as by the provision of simulatedsights Ztl and 22 and a simulated hammer 24. The parts 14 and 26 may begrained to better simulate wood. However, the actual working mechanismis preferably made of metal, most of the parts being die cast, includingthe cocking lever 26 and the trigger i8.

Referring now to FIGS. 2, 5, and 9 of the drawing, the

recoil simulating mechanism comprises ra recoil Weight 30, a spring 32for moving the weight 30 abruptly and preferably rearward in a directionlongitudinal of the gun, and cooking mechanism actuated by the cockinglever 16 to stress the spring 32, as shown by the change from FIG. 4 toFIG. 5, while the trigger I8 serves to release the recoil weight andspring in order to simulate recoil.

The particular gun shown is a cap firing gun, and it employs caps instrip or roll form, as shown at 34 in FIGS. 7 and 10. The gunaccordingly has cap strip feeding and firing mechanism, including ananvil 36 (FIG. l0) which in the present case is a rotatable cylindricalanvil, and a hammer 4o, which in the present case moves nearlyhorizontally. The cap strip feeding mechanism includes a ratchet wheel42 (FIG. 4) and a pawl 44, the latter being connected at 46 to thehammer 4t) (not visible in FIG. 4).

Reverting to FIG. 10, the hammer 4t? is actuated by a hammer spring 48,and is held in rearward position by a sear Sil, which in the presentcase is directly connected to, and indeed is formed integrally with thetrigger 18. It will be evident that pulling the trigger releases thehammer to strike the cap strip on the anvil 36.

Considering the mechanism in somewhat greater detail, and referring toFIGS. 2, 4, 5, and 6, the recoil simulating mechanism includes a guiderod 52 disposed longitudinally of the stock 14 of the gun. The recoilspring 32 is a compression spring coiled around the guide rod 52. Thereis a bumper 54 made of rubber or other resilient material at the rearend of the rod 52, this being backed by a washer 56, which in turn isarrested by stops 58 which are pinch excised from the rod 52.

The recoil weight 30 has a part 60 disposed between the spring 32 andthe bumper 54. There is also means to guide the weight for movementlongitudinally of the rod. In the present case the rear portion 60 isastride the rod 52, while the forward portion 62 is astride the spring32. These parts are integral with a main weight body disposed at theside of the rod 52 and spring 32, as is shown in FIG. 9. The weight isadditionally and primarly guided by a guide track or channel 64 (FIG. 9)which receives two cylindrical studs 66 projecting transversely from theWeight at its forward and rear ends. These parts are also shown in FIG.4-A, in which studs 66 are received between guide rails 64, the lat-terbeing molded integrally with one side of the gun. The same side of thegun also has bosses 63 which act as sockets to receive the ends of rod52, the latter being bent at right angles to the main body of the rod.Rubber bushings 70 are preferably disposed between the ends of the rodand the bosses or sockets 68.

The cooking lever I6 is pivoted at 72 and has an oifset extension 74inside the gun. The parts 16 and 74 together constitute the cookinglever, and they may be turned downward from the position shown in FIG. 2to that shown in FIG. 4, and then restored as shown in FIG. 5.

The lever has a link 76 extending rearward to a hook 78. The hook hastransversely extending trunnions 80 which ride in guide tracks 82 moldedintegrally with one, and preferably both, sides of the gun, as will tbeseen also from inspection of FIGS. 7 and 9. The forward end of therecoil weight 30 preferably has a detent projection 84 at the top andanother 86 at the bottom.

When the cooking lever I6 is turned down, as shown in FIG. 4, the link76 and hook 78 move back to and engage the recoil Weight 30. When thecooking lever is turned back or restored, as shown in FIG. 5, the weight3i? is pulled forward against the spring 32. There is a scar SS forengaging and holding the weight Sti when the weight is in forwardposition, and at the same time the hook 73 is disengaged from -theweight when the weight is in forward position. This is accomplished bythe shape of the hook guide track 82 previously referred to, for theforward portion 83 (FIG. 4-A) of `the track is higher than the main bodyof the track and therefore the track acting on the trunnions 8! raisesthe hook 78 to disengagc the detent 84 when the hook approaches itsforward position, or more precisely when the weight has already beenengaged by the sear 88. The sear 88 is normally urged upward by a spring89 (FIG. 4) which is coiled about the pivot 99 of the sear.

Referring now to FIG. 5, the trigger 18 has means to release the sear 88and thereby release the spring 32 to move the recoil weight abruptlyrearward against the bumper 54. More specically, the sear 88 is pivotedat 9) and has a forward extension 92. The trigger 18 has a rearwardextension or lift 94. When the trigger is pulled the lift 94 raises thepart 92, as shown in FIG. 6, thereby lowering the sear 88, and soreleasing the weight 3).

In respect to the hook guides 82, and referring to FIG. 7, it will benoted that the top guide is raised at the rear end 96, while the bottomguide 98 retains the lower level of the main part of the guide track.This is to permit the hook 78 (FIG. 4) to rise over and engage thedetent S4. The action may be gravitational, but preferably is made morecer-tain by the provision of a leaf spring 168, the rear end of whichbears downward on the top of the hook 78, while the forward end 102 isanchored in position by three molded pins 104, two of which are abovethe spring, while the third is below the spring, and so disposed as toflex the spring and thereby hold it in position.

The cocking lever 16, 74 also feeds the cap strip and cocks the hammer.When the cocking lever is turned down, as shown in FIG. 4, the arm 74engages a hu-b formed on feed pawl 44 and located around the pin ortrunnion 46. The latter is horizontally movable in a slot 106, and arm74 forces the trunnion and pawl rearward from the position shown in FIG.2 to that shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. Thus the pawl 44 moves the ratchetwheel 42 for one tooth, and this corresponds to a rotation of the anvil36 (FIG. 10) corresponding to the spacing or pitch between pellets ofgun powder on the cap strip. The pawl is urged into engagement with theratchet wheel by a small pull spring 114 (FIGS. 2 and The cap strip ispreferably of the perforated type, and in the present case is a doublecap strip. A fragment of this cap strip is shown in FIG. 3-A, and it hastwo rows of perforations 108, as well as two rows of gun powder pellets110. Reverting to FIG. l0, the anvil 36 has pins or sprocket -teeth 112which mate with the sprocket holes 108. When the ycocking lever isrestored, as shown in FIG. 5, the pawl 44 remains in rearward position.Thus the action of the cocking lever 16 serves to feed the cap strip.

Moreover, it cocks the hammer, and it will be recalled that lthe pin ortrunnion 46 projects sidewardly from the hammer 40, as indicated inFIGS. 3 and 10. When the cocking lever is turned down, as shown in FIG.4, the hammer is moved back by arm 74, and it is then engaged and heldby the sear (FIG. forming a part of the trigger. The trigger is normallyturned forward, and therefore the sear 50 is moved upward, by aconventional trigger spring, which in the present case is coiled aboutthe pivot 116 of the trigger. This spring is indicated at 118 in FIG. 2.

Referring to FIG. 3, the weighty die cast hammer 40 is slidable inhorizontal guides which form a part of a die cast frame 120. The hammerhas a rod 122 extending rearwardly therefrom, the said rod beingslidable through a passage formed in stop ears 124 which form a part ofthe frame 120. The hammer spring 48 is a compression spring disposedaround the rod 122. There are four guide rails for the hammer, one abovethe one below the hammer at each side of the frame 120,

and two of these guide rails are shown at 126 in FIG. 3.

Referring to FIG. l0, the cap roll 34 is slid over a stationary pin 130projecting 4from one side of the frame previously referred to. The capstrip then passes around the anvil 36, it being held on the anvil by ashoe 132 carried at the forward end of an arm 134 pivoted at 136. Shoe132 is grooved to pa-ss pins 112. The arm is urged downward by a spring138 coiled about the pin 136, as best shown in FIG. 3. The shoe 132 ispreferably enlarged to act as a ash guard, as Shown at 133 in FIG. 3.For the same purpose an upright wall or partition 140 (FIG. 10) isprovided, this being cast with the frame. The used cap strip 142 isguided by a guide 144 also formed with the frame, and this guides thestrip downward and forward out of the gun. To help clean the anvil ofthe cap strip, a wiper spring 146 is provided. The movable end of thisspring or blade is notched at ytwo places to clear the sprocket pins112, and otherwise the blade scrapes .the cylindrical surface of theanvil. The thickness is exaggerated in FIG. 10.

To facilitate reloading a fresh roll of caps, the entire frame 120 maybe turned down out of the gun, as shown in phantom lines in FIG. 7. Thisexposes the pin 130 over which the cap roll is slid, and it also exposesthe shoe 132 (FIG. l0) so that the latter may be lifted to receive theend of the cap strip therebeneath.

The cap tiring mechanism is normally held up in working position by areleasable lock or latch, best shown in FIG. 8. This includes a releasebutton 150 urged outward by a leaf spring 152, the spring being securedat 154. At its inner end button 150 carries a lock portion 156 of largediameter, and a release portion 158 of small diameter. The frame 120 ofthe cap tiring mechanism has a pair of upstanding ears 160, and thesehave the shape shown in FIGS. 2 and 7. When the button 150 is in theposition shown in FIG. 8, the cap mechanism is held securely in raisedposition. However, when the button 150` is pressed inward, the largediameter portion 156 is moved out from between the ears, and the smalldiameter portion 158 is moved between the ears. These `are spaced morethan the small diameter, and therefore the cap mechanism frame, togetherwith the cooking lever, `are all free to turn down as shown in FIG. 7.This action is not interfered with by the link 76 and track 82, becausethe part 83 of the latter is extended forwardly.

We previously mentioned that the gun body is made in two halves whichare molded out of plasti material, and which then are secured togetherin edge-to-edge relation. To help properly register the sides of thegun, yand to strengthen their attachment, the meeting edges are providedwith mating pins and holes which are molded as a part of the regularmolding operation. The pins or dowells are shown around the periphery ofthe gun in FIGS. 2, 4, and 5, while the mating holes or sockets Aareshown around the periphery of the gun in FIG. 7. The mechanism is placedin the gun while it is still open, and therafter the sides are securedtogether, as by means of a suitable adhesive or cement or solvent. Themating of pins and sockets is shown in FIG. 9 at 162 and 164. The gunbody as molded includes sockets at 166 (FIGS. 2 and 7) for receiving apin passing through the forward end of the cap mechanism frame, and onwhich the frame pivots when turned down for reloading, as shown in FIG.7. The sides also include sockets 168 (FIG. 7) for the pivot 90 (FIGS. 4and 5) of the sear 88. Other significant parts are molded with the sidesof the gun, as previously explained in connection with FIG. 4-A (theguides 64, the sockets 68, and the guides 82) and FIG. 7 (the guides82).

It is believed that the construction, method of assembly, and theoperation of our improved toy gun, as well as the advantages thereof,will be apparent from the foregoing detailed description. A child cocksand fires the gun in the usual manner. When he fires the gun heexperiences a forcible recoil blow at the shoulder, exactly as thoughfiring a real gun.

IIt will be apparent that, while we have shown and described ourinvention in a preferred form, changes may be made in the structureshown, without departing from the scope of the invention as sought to bedefined in the following claims.

We claim:

l. A toy gun with recoil simulating mechanism, said gun comprising aguide means disposed longitudinally of the gun, a recoil springextending longitudinally of said guide means, a recoil weight connectedto said spring for movement along said guide means, a hook, a cockinglever having a link extending rearward to said hook, means whereby saidhook moves back to and engages the recoil weight when the cocking leveris turned down and then pulls said weight forward against the recoilspring when the lever is restored, and a trigger for releasing therecoil spring to move the recoil weight abruptly rearward to simulaterecoil.

2. A toy gun with recoil simulating mechanism, said gun comprising guidemeans disposed longitudinally of the gun, a recoil spring extendinglongitudinally of the gun, a recoil weight acted on by said spring andguided by said guide means for movement longitudinally of the gun,ahook, a cocking lever having a link extending rearward to said hook,means whereby said hook moves back to and engages the'recoil weight whenthe cocking lever is turned down and then pulls the weight forwardagainst the force of the recoil spring when the lever is restored, asear for engaging and holding said weight when the weight is in forwardposition, means for disengaging the hook from the weight when the weightis in forward position, and a trigger for releasing the sear, therebyreleasing the recoil spring to move the recoil weight abruptly rearwardto simulate recoil.

3. A toy gun with recoil simulating mechanism, said gun comprising aguide rod disposed longitudinally of the gun, a recoil spring aroundsaid rod, a resilient bumper at the rear end of said rod, a recoilweight having a part disposed between said spring and said bumper, meansto guide the weight for movement longitudinally of the rod, a hook, acocking lever having a link extending rearward to said hook, meanswhereby said hook moves back to and engages the recoil weight when thecocking lever is turned down and then pulls said weight forward againstthe recoil spring when the lever is restored, a scar for engaging andholding said weight when the weight is in forward position, means fordisengaging the hook from the weight when the weight is in forwardposition, and a trigger for releasing the sear and thereby releasing therecoil spring to move the recoil weight abruptly rearward against thebumper to simulate recoil.

4. A toy cap gun comprising cap strip feeding and tiring mechanismincluding an anvil and a hammer, recoil simulating mechanism including aguide rod disposed longitudinally of the gun, a recoil spring aroundsaid rod, a resilient bumper at the rear end of said rod, a Irecoilweight connected to said spring, means to guide the weight for movementlongitudinally of the rod, a cocking means for cocking said hammer andfeeding the cap strip and for pulling said weight forward against therecoil spring, a sear for engaging and holding said weight when theweight is in forward position, and a trigger for releasing both thehammer and the Sear and thereby releasing the recoil spring to move therecoil weight abruptly rearward against the bumper with simulated recoilas a cap is tired.

5. A toy cap gun comprising cap strip feeding and firing mechanismincluding an anvil and a hammer, recoil simulating mechanism including aguide means disposed longitudinally of the gun, a recoil spring disposedlongitudinally of said guide means, a recoil weight connected to saidspring and movable along said guide means, a hook, a cocking lever forcocking said hammer and feeding the cap strip, said lever having a linkextending rear- Ward to said hook, means whereby said hook moves back nto and engages the recoil weight when the cocking lever is turned downand then pulls said weight forward against the recoil spring when thelever is restored, and a trigger for releasing both the hammer and theSear and thereby releasing the recoil spring to move the recoil weightabruptly rearward with simulated recoil as a cap is red.

6. A toy cap gun comprising cap strip feeding and tiring mechanismincluding an anvil and a hammer, recoil simulating mechanism including aguide means disposed longitudinally of the gun, a recoil spring disposedlongitudinally of said gun, a recoil weight connected to said spring formovement along the guide means, a hook, a cocking lever for cocking saidhammer and feeding the cap strip, said lever having a link extendingrearward to said hook, means whereby said hook moves back to and engagesthe recoil weight when the cocking lever is turned down and then pullssaid weight forward against the recoil spring when the lever isrestored, a sear for engaging and holding said weight when the weight isin forward position, means for disengaging the hook from the weight whenthe weight is in forward position, and a trigger for releasing both thehammer and the sear and thereby releasing the recoil spring to move therecoil weight abruptly rearward with simulated recoil as a cap is tired.

7. A toy cap gun comprising cap strip feeding and firing mechanismincluding an anvil and a hammer, recoil simulating mechanism including aguide rod disposed longitudinally of the gun, a recoil spring aroundsaid rod, a rubber bumper at the rear end of said rod, a recoil weighthaving a part disposed between said spring and said bumper, and means toguide the weight for movement longitudinally of the rod, a hook, acocking lever for cocking said hammer and feeding the cap strip, saidlever having a link extending rearward to said hook, means whereby saidhook moves back to and engages the recoil weight when the cocking leveris turned down and then pulls said weight forward against the recoilspring when the lever is restored, a sear for engaging and holding saidweight when the weight is in forward position, means for disengaging thehook from the weight when the weight is in forward position, and atrigger for releasing both the hammer and the scar `and therebyreleasing the recoil spring to move the recoil weight abruptly rearwardagainst the bumper with simulated recoil as a cap is fired.

8. A toy cap rifle comprising a barrel, a breech portion, a hollowstock, a mechanism frame pivoted for movement out of the breech portionto receive a new roll of cap strip, cap strip feeding and firingmechanism including an anvil and a hammer in the mechanism frame, recoilsimulating mechanism including a recoil spring in said stock, a recoilWeight in said stock and acted on by said spring, means in said stock toguide the weight for movement longitudinally of the gun, a hook, acocking lever pivoted on the mechanism frame for cocking said hammer andfeeding the cap strip, said lever having a link extending rearward tosaid hook, means whereby said hook moves back to and engages the recoilweight when the cocking lever is turned down and then pulls said weightforward against the recoil spring when the lever is restored, a sear forengaging and holding said weight when the weight is in forward position,means for disengaging the hook from the Weight when the weight is inforward position, and a trigger for releasing both the hammer and thesear and thereby releasing the recoil spring to move the recoil weightabruptly rearward with simulated recoil as a cap is tired, said linkbeing so disposed relative to the mechanism frame and the hook that thelink does not inerfere with movement of the mechanism frame out of thebreech portion of the gun to receive a new roll of cap strip.

9. A toy cap rie comprising a barrel, a breech p0rtion, a hollow stock,a mechanism frame pivoted for movement out of the breech portion toreceive a new roll of cap strip, cap strip feeding and ring mechanismincluding an anvil and a hammer in the mechanism frame, recoilsimulating mechanism including a guide rod disposed longitudinally ofthe gun inside the hollow stock, a recoil spring, a recoil weight actedon by said spring, means to guide the weight for movement longitudinallyof the rod, a hook, a cocking lever pivoted on the mechanism frame forcocking said hammer and feeding the cap strip, said lever having a linkextending rearward to said hook, means whereby said hook moves back toand engages the recoil weight when the cooking lever is turned down andthen pulls said weight forward against the recoil spring when the leveris restored, a sear for engaging and holding said weight when the weightis in forward position, means for disengaging the hook from the weightwhen the weight is in forward position, and a trigger for releasing boththe hammer and the sear and thereby releasing the recoil spring to movethe recoil weight abruptly rearward with simulated recoil as a cap isfired, said link being so disposed relative to the mechanism frame andthe hook that the link does not interfere with movement of the mechanismframe out of the breech portion of the gun to receive a new roll of capstrip.

l0. A toy cap rifle comprising a barrel, a breech portion, a hollowstock, a mechanism frame pivoted for movement out of the breech portionto receive a new roll of cap strip, cap strip feeding and ring mechanismincluding an anvil and a hammer in the mechanism frame, recoilsimulating mechanism including a guide rod disposed longitudinally ofthe gun inside the hollow stock, a recoil spring around said rod, arubber bumper at the rear end of said rod, a recoil weight having a partdis-l posed between said spring and said bumper, means to guide theweight for movement longitudinally of the rod, a hook, a cocking leverpivoted on the mechanism frame for cocking said hammer and feeding thecap strip, said lever having a link extending rearward to said hook,means whereby said hook moves back to and engages the recoil weight whenthe cocking lever is turned down and then pulls said weight forwardagainst the recoil spring when the lever is restored, a sear forengaging and holding said weight when the weight is in forward position,means for disengaging the hook from the weight when the weight is inforward position, and a trigger for releasing both the hammer and theSear and thereby releasing the recoil spring to move the recoil weightabruptly rearward against the bumper with simulated recoil as a cap istired, said link being so disposed relative to the mechanism frame andthe hook that the link does not interfere with movement of the mechanismframe out of the breech portion of the gun to receive a new roll of capstrip.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,464,610 Keil Aug. 14, 1923 2,023,497 Trammell Dec. 10, 1935 2,433,637Trotter Dec. 30, 1947 2,814,144 Brown et al Nov. 26, 1957 2,866,287 RyanDec. 30, 1958

